HMS Alacrity (F174)

HMS Alacrity was the sixth Type 21 frigate of the Royal Navy and entered service in July 1977. She was built by Yarrow Shipbuilders Ltd, Glasgow,Scotland. She was sold to Pakistan in 1993 as the PNS Badr.

Commanding Officers

1976-1978 Cdr Robert B Mortlock

1978-1980 Cdr Alan J Bannister

1980-1982 Cdr Christopher J S Craig

1982-1983 Cdr Brian B Perowne

1983-1985 Cdr Michael A Johnson

1986-1987 Cdr John H S McAnally

1988-1989 Lt Cdr/Cdr Robert P Barton

1990-1991 Cdr C David Fairbrache

Royal Navy Service
In 1977 Alacrity took part in the Fleet Review, of the Royal Navy at Spithead in celebration of HM the Queen’s Silver Jubilee. Alacrity participated in the Falklands War, departing Devonport on 5 April 1982. She was commanded at the time by Commander Christopher Craig.

The most notable incident involving Alacrity was the sinking of the Argentine supply ship ARA Isla de los Estados by gunfire over the night of 10–11 May 1982, near Swan Islands. At the time, Alacrity was on a mission to establish whether or not the Argentines had mined the north entrance to Falkland Sound. Alacrity was slightly damaged by splinters from an Argentine bomb on 1 May.

As Alacrity left the Falkland Sound on 11 May, the Argentine submarine, San Luis was reported to have fired two torpedoes at Alacrity and her sister ship Arrow. Both missed, and the ships rejoined the task force.

As with the other surviving Type 21 frigates, Alacrity was suffering from cracking in her hull by the mid-1980s. She was taken in for refitting, and a steel plate was welded down each side of the ship. At the same time modifications were made to reduce hull noise.